To Arthur, standing a little aside, beaming with pride and happiness, and recording in his heart every pleasant thing which his sisters said to Cecily and every pleasant look they gave her, came Gay presently, and slipped an arm through his.
"I'm so glad," she said.
But there was something in her voice that was not glad, and with one swift glance he read her wistful heart. He pressed her arm, and said:
"I know one poor little kid that's left out in the cold for the moment; one little lion that feels as if it wasn't going to get any martyr; one little sister that a big brother loves and understands a little bit better than any of the others— So there! At the moment every chacune has her chacun, except one. Moments are fleeting, my dear, and other moments are ahead. I, too, have lived bad, empty, unhappy moments."
"But you always knew that she cared."
"And don't you know about him?"
"I only know that I've seen so many people appear to be idiotically happy at the same time, and it makes me want to cry."
"And for that very reason," said Arthur, "the moments that are ahead will be the happier."
"I wonder," said Gay, and, "I know," said Arthur.